NAIDC elects board members

 posted 7/1/2010

The North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge (NAIDC) board of directors elected three new members on June 21, 2010. They are:

• Chris Dei, regional sales manager with Diamond V, from Fresno, Calif. He has extensive dairy sales experience in California, having worked with 21st Century Genetics, Holstein Association USA, US Genes and Monsanto Dairy Business. Dei was fundraising chair for the 2010 NAIDC contest held in Visalia, Calif.
• Amy te Plate-Church, National Alliance Manager for Genex Cooperative Inc., Shawano, Wis. Her professional experience combines youth educational programming with marketing and public relations to develop programs with allied industry partners and ultimately maximize profit for dairy producers.
• Jon Robison, Professor in the Department of Dairy Science and Agricultural Education at California State University – Fresno. Dr. Robison is the enterprise manager for the CSFU Dairy Unit, served as advisor to the Dairy Club since 1996, and been coach of the school’s Dairy Challenge team since 2006.

They succeed retiring directors Cherie Bayer, American Jersey Cattle Association; Bruce Clark of Northstar Cooperative; and Gary M. Hay, Louisiana State University.

Barry Putnam, Genex, Ithaca, N.Y., will continue as Board Chair for a second year, with Luciene Ribiero, APC Inc., Visalia, Calif., serving as Vice Chair. Finance Chair is Rob Sheffer, Cargill Animal Nutrition, Albany, N.Y., with Coleen Jones, Penn State University, Craigsville, Va., assuming the position of Program Chair.

Continuing NAIDC board members are Devin Albrecht, Prairie State/Select Sires, Hampshire, Ill.; Owen Bewley, Prince Agri Products, Susquehanna, Pa.; Jean Conklin, Yankee Farm Credit and dairy producer, Haverhill, N.H.; Marcia Endres, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minn.; Kas Ingawa, Dairy Records Management Systems, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C.; Tami Tollenaar, Tollenaar Dairy, Elk Grove, Calif.; Michael Van Amburgh, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.; and David R. Winston, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

The North American Dairy Challenge was established in 2002 as a management contest to incorporate all phases of a specific dairy business. It strives to incorporate a higher-learning atmosphere with practical application to help prepare students for careers in the dairy industry. More than 1,500 students have enhanced their dairy management, communication and business skills through Dairy Challenge, in turn generating highly qualified graduates to lead and further improve the dairy industry.

Financial support for the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge and its regional contests comes from generous contributions from dairy industry companies, associations and foundations, and dairy business owners. NAIDC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, and contributions to Dairy Challenge are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. For more information on becoming a sponsor, contact any NAIDC board member or Executive Director Molly Kelley at naidcmjk@aol.com.

The schedule for 2010 begins with the Northeast Regional on October 28, 29 and 30, to be hosted by Alfred State University in Batavia, N.Y. The Southern Regional is scheduled for November 18 to 20, hosted by Mississippi State University in Tupelo; followed by the Midwest Regional, February 10-12, 2011 with the University of Wisconsin, River Falls as host; and the Western Regional during March in California. The North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge will be held March 31 to April 2, 2011 in Hickory, N.C., hosted by North Carolina State University and Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University.

To learn more about NAIDC, visit www.dairychallenge.org.

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